Nothing Set in Stone
by Defender of the Dogma
Summary: Obi-wan and his padawan, Anakin, are captured by a strange girl intent on gaining great power. Will the torture bring them together, or inseparably drive them apart? Better than it sounds. Rated for torture and blood. Big surprise ending. Not Slash.
1. Chapter 1

warning: somewhat graphic depictions of violence. Abuse of a minor. Not to be read if the concept concept of blood is upsetting. PG:13 to be safe. In this story, Anakin is 16.

disclaimer:

Me: "I own star wars! I own star wars!" Gets dragged of to an insane asylum. "B-but I thought... my cousin told me…"

Cousin: April Fools!

Me: Bummer.

Prologue

It would be difficult. She was, after all, only 12. But she could do it. She was special like that. Very special. Anakin and his Master would come, and she would leave her mark. She might not be duly remembered, but she would change the future. It was a near ultimate goal. But she could do it. Anakin would come, and he would not leave the same, she would make sure of that.

Chapter 1

Anakin sighed. His Master just didn't understand. He'd never known things like guilt. Never known what it was like to go to bed tired, feeling like the world was over, and that he would be the property of another person the rest of his life. For that matter, neither did Palpatine, but at least he was willing to listen. At least he was willing to try and understand. He would go see the man now, he decided. And that was another thing. Obi-wan obviously didn't trust the Chancellor. He held him to the same prejudice he had against all politicians. Palpatine was obviously a good man. He was a great man, finding time for Anakin, even through his busy life. Honestly though, Anakin wouldn't have been as frustrated with his Master if he had pushed him away from the Chancellor. If he pushed him away, then he cared enough to try and protect Anakin. But he didn't. He allowed a relationship he felt was bad for his padawan to endure, and Anakin resented him for that. Finally he stood outside Palpatine's door. When he was waved in, he couldn't help but feel that he was finally at home.

"Anakin, my boy! What a wonderful surprise! I wasn't expecting you here!"

"To be honest, neither was I. I just, I mean, I needed..." Anakin didn't know how to finish.

"It's her, isn't it." His tone was flat, a statement, not a question. "Master Yaddle. Her death still haunts you."

Anakin looked away. Why was he even here? Palpatine was right, of course. But why was he bothering the man with it?

Palpatine seemed to know what he was thinking. "It's alright, Anakin. You know that you can talk to me about anything. I want to here for you. I'm not like that sorry excuse for a Master you have, what's he doing anyway, pushing you away like that. He had no right! Can't he see what he's doing to you?

Anakin looked away. Although deep down there was a part of him that agreed with the Chancellor, Obi-wan was his Master. It wasn't right to talk about him like that, even if there was some truth to the statement. "He doesn't try to hurt me. He just doesn't know how to deal with things like this. He wants to help me, he really does."

Palpatine sighed. "Yes, I know, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to talk like that. It's just that when he hurts you like that, oh it makes me so angry, I care about you Anakin. You deserve better than him. You are the most powerful Jedi the Order ever had or will see. You are amazing, and they treat you like trash!"

Even though Anakin didn't say it, the Chancellor's words made him swell with pride. The Supreme Chancellor, and he thought that Anakin was the most powerful Jedi ever? Palpatine's admittedly non protocol anger at the Jedi on his behalf made him feel good to, though he would never say so. The man cared about him and that was the most wonderful thing in the world. His comlink beeped, and Obi-wan informed him that they had a mission, and that he needed to be in the room of 1,000 fountains by oh three hundred hours. Anakin sighed and excused himself, wondering where they would go this time. He just hoped he didn't get captured again. One Jedi Master dead over him was enough.

Obi-wan waited for Anakin and wondered why he had to see the Chancellor in the first place. Obi-wan did not approve of politicians. He was jolted from his thoughts by an approaching Jedi, and quickly turned to greet him. "Master Windu. A pleasant surprise. What brings you here? I know it's not the demonstration Master Kar-hath is putting on."

Mace gave a small smile. "No, I'm afraid master Kar-hath will have to leave his tales of a new type of Force Connection, and power beyond imagining to the younglings. Master Obi-wan, do you believe that Anakin is ready for another mission after... the 'incident?' If you feel he needs more time to recover, then we will not force you to go."

"The offer is appreciated, Master, but I feel that this will be good for Anakin. He must learn to face his demons, and a mission will do him good."

Mace nodded. "All right then. May the Force be with you." Mace left Obi-wan wondering if he had really made the right choice.

"Hey, Master!" Anakin called, sauntering up to Obi-wan. "Where we headed?"

"A small planet called Belenore. We received a transmission calling for help. Nothing else."

"Sounds like a trap. Nothing but a distress call? Classic. Do they really expect us to fall for that?"

"I know. But we're assuming that no one would be stupid enough to try something like that. Besides, they left their id number. If it was a trap, they wouldn't do that."

"Fine. But why do we have to go? There have to be plenty of Jedi who can..."

"We're going because this mission is on Belanore, and I am one of the few Jedi with friends and contacts on Belanore, no matter how cowardly and incompetent. We're also going because something about this world (no one knows what) makes connecting to the Force very difficult, and we are hoping you will be able to still connect to it at least better than anyone else. We are also going because the world is located inside a plethora of asteroid belts, and we need someone with exceptional piloting skills to get us in. That is you. Now will you stop questioning my judgment, and just obey!"

Anakin blinked, shocked. Why was his Master talking to him like this? He didn't understand. "Master, what's wrong? Are you alright?"

Obi-wan just glared at him. NO, he wasn't all right. He was angry. He had a particularly trying day, and Anakin's incessant questions were not doing much to help. But that wasn't any reason to snap at the boy like that. "I'm fine, Anakin. I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you like that. I just..."

Anakin looked away. Obi-wan had hurt him and he couldn't look him in the eye. "No Master, I need to learn to control my questions better. I'm sorry.

Obi-wan was about to tell him that he didn't have any reason to be sorry, it was Obi-wan who was at fault, not Anakin, but then Yoda called, and said that it was time to go, and that they needed to split up and get ready to leave, right now, and all the problems of Master and Apprentice were swept away unresolved, just like always, and nothing was settled, leaving a hole in two separate hearts, pushing apart, keeping solutions at bay. And at present, there was nothing, it seemed, to do about it.

Belanore was fast approaching, and with it the instant decrease of Force connection. Obi-wan could feel the planet's strange power sap his Force abilities, and wished he was somewhere else, anywhere else. It was a terrible feeling, the hole where the Force ought to be. He wondered how it felt to someone as force sensitive as Anakin. The boy might even be in physical pain. He cursed himself for not thinking of it before, and turned to go to Anakin's quarters. "Anakin?" He called softly. "Anakin, are you alright?" Then he saw him. The boy's face was pure white, he was doubled over gasping for breath, and drenched in sweat.

"M-master. It hurts..."

Obi-wan ran to Anakin, his own discomfort forgotten. Gently he wrapped his arms around the boy, and carried him to bed, wishing that their ship came with more advanced medical supplies than a med kit. Obi-wan ran a cool cloth over Anakin's face and neck, wishing he knew what to do to help him. Anakin moaned, and Obi-wan ran his fingers through his padawan's hair. He could only hope that this would pass, and Anakin would adjust to the decreased level of Force sensitivity. Maybe it was the shock. If not, then they might need to send someone else to go on this mission. He hoped that wouldn't be the case, if for no other reason than that it took 5 days to get to Belamere from Coruscant, and they couldn't com the temple, due to interference. He sighed, and smoothed Anakin's hair off of his forehead. Anakin was quieting, and seemed to be falling asleep. Obi-wan wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but rest looked like it was a good idea. Slowly he caressed Anakin cheek with his hand, and tried to sooth him with all the healing Force he could muster. They would be landing soon, and he hoped that Anakin made a full recovery. He had a bad feeling about this mission, and he wondered what it was.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Black. It was black. Darkness was overwhelming, and it seemed to be suffocating him. He tried to use the Force to fight it, but the Force wasn't there, it was gone, he was alone, alone... and then, through the darkness, there came a voice, whispering to him, telling him it would be O.K.. And then he was struggling to regain consciousness, to wake up...

"Anakin? Anakin, are you alright?" Anakin coughed.

"Fine... Master. Ohhh, my head. Wh-what happened?"

"We entered Belanore airspace. Now I'm going to the cockpit in case I need to get clearance to land. You can join me when you feel like it."

"Yes master."

Obi-wan left, and seated himself in the pilot's chair. Anakin would be fine, he was soothing the boys nerves now, running over him with the Force, and gently comforting him. Soon, however, Anakin joined him. "Hey, Master. How's it going?" So Anakin was back to his general peppy self. Or mostly, at least.

Then Anakin frowned. "Master, I sense something is wrong."

Obi-wan sighed. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"You have a bad feeling about everything."

And that was when the gigantic battle cruiser appeared out of hyperspace, caught them in a tractor beam, and pulled them aboard.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

There. She had them. It had been so easy too. Jedi. Far too arrogant for their own good. Honestly, it was a wonder they had survived so long. Ahh, here they came now, Master and Apprentice, what a wonderful family picture. And to think, they had no idea their lives were about to be changed forever.

Obi-wan stole a glance at his padawan, who was still tired from the sudden Force dissipation. He seemed to be fine though, it must have been the shock that had affected him so badly. They were being led by multiple humans armed with electro jabbers, blasters, knives, and several other equally pleasant things. They had put Force dissipaters on their wrists, ensuring that what little connection they might have had to the Force was completely gone, and that was the most disturbing thing of all. And then they were being herded toward a door that opened to show.. a girl. On something that looked remarkably like a throne. She looked to be about 13 or 14, had long blond hair, and blue eyes. She was wearing a long cape, and knee high boots. She had elbow length gloves, and a light blue and red dress that came to her ankles. The room, Obi-wan noticed, was quite large, though sparsely decorated. It was cool (in temperature), and a red carpet led to the girls throne, if that was what it really was. Several guards were in the room, and Obi-wan felt certain that this was not a girl to mess with. She smiled, then spoke.

"Obi-wan, Anakin, so glad you could make it. It wouldn't have been a party without you two, you know."

"Our pleasure, "Anakin responded. "But I fear we've overstayed our welcome. We must give you our birthday gifts and go, before we become a nuisance."

"Nonsense! We haven't gotten to the cake yet. Besides, this is a sleepover. You can't leave so soon. Guards! Show our guests to their quarters. No, on second thought, Anakin gets to stay here. Obi-wan can go to holding cell 2-93-45. Security level 9.65. Rations case B, Comfort level 2."

Obi-wan felt rough hands grab him and force him out the door. No. They couldn't do this. This girl was dangerous, Anakin couldn't be alone with her! But they were blindfolding him, forcing him down a flight of stairs, through a series of corridors, and finally, into a cell. The blindfold was removed, and they chained his hands and feet to the wall. Then they put an electro collar around his neck, and chained that to the wall to. Hmm. An electro coller. He would have to be sure not to move any more than necessary, not that he could much anyway, but he would be shocked if he tried. Sighing, he waited for Anakin. Then a thought occurred to him. What if they didn't put Anakin with him? What if they took the boy to a completely different place, and torchered him, leaving him alone without his Master. No, they couldn't do that. They couldn't. Obi-wan felt a cold hand grip his heart, as he hoped, no, prayed, that his padawan would be returned to him, safe, and sound.

Anakin kept a level glare at the girl who had captured him. "Who are you?" He demanded. "And what do you want from us?" She maintained an even gaze, and smiled in that infuriating way of hers.

"I don't think you're in any position to be asking about names, Ani. That, really, is something I would rather you didn't know. Anyway, as to your secant question, I would like very much to know where the Holocron of Gallanare is. I have been informed that both you and your Master are partial to this information, and quite frankly, I feel I would benefit from having such a thing in my possession."

"I'll never tell, and you can't make me!" Anakin fired back.

"We shall see. Now I am sure you may have other questions?"

"Actually yeah. You seem to specifically want Obi-wan and me, but you had no way of knowing that we would be the ones who came here. And you left your ID number on our scanners, by now Coruscant will know about you for sure, and they'll identify you in no time. You might as well let us go."

The girl sighed, and shook her head. "For one thing, I left a fake ID number. They trace that, and incidentally, your old buddy Watto will be accused of kidnapping Jedi, which, unfortunately I do not think they will believe. Secondly, I knew they would send the Kenobi/Skywalker team, because of all the 'assets' they believe you have. You know, Kenobi's contacts, your flight abilities and midichlorians. It was simple to deduce who they'd send. And if they sent someone else, then I always leave and try again. They'd think it was just a fluke. And don't feel bad about telling me about the little ID matter. This room is filled with gas that sort of makes you more, willing, shall we say, to talk. It doesn't work if you fight it hard enough, so i can't ask you just anything, but it goes for the little things. Anything else?

"How are you in control here? You're just a kid, I can't believe all these guys follow you."

"Age matters not. Also, for their race, 12 years old is a virtual adult. They don't know it's different for humans. Also they can't understand our conversation, we're inside a disruptor field that scrambles our voices. Anyway, I'm paying them. The money was easy to come by, I had certain information that proved valuable, and was paid quite nicely for it. And I am not a stupid person, I have ways of getting money. But that is not your concern."

Anakin narrowed his eyes. "Look, I'm not giving you any information. Just let us go. We won't participate."

"Sweet, but I think you will. Take him to level 6, intencity 8."

Anakin felt himself being shoved along a hallway, blindfolded, and forced into a turbolift. Level 6 intencity 8. What did that mean? He soon found out, as he entered a bright room filled with vials and all sorts of painful looking devices. He gulped. Torture. This was not going to be fun. But he had been a slave. He could take it. Mabey. They strapped him to a table and pressed a needle to his skin. Suddenly he became aware that the table was very cold, and the restraints were hurting him, digging into his skin, and then they hit him, and he wanted to scream! Oh, he'd heard of this, the injection had heightened his ability to feel pain. And then a knife was being dragged across his skin, and it was so very painful, he wanted to beg for them to stop, but he wouldn't, they wouldn't get that from him, and then they stabbed him in the shoulder, and he couldn't help it, he screamed. It hurt, Oh, It hurt so badly. Why wouldn't they stop?

It hadn't stopped. It had gotten worse, Force, he hadn't known you could hurt so much and still be alive. They had given him a drug that made it impossible to rest, or fall unconscious, so there was no respite from the pain, nothing that could make it better. Currently they were whipping him, had tied him to a post, and now his blood was running down his back, staining the floor, and it was worse than anything he had ever felt. Far worse than Watto or even Gardulla on a bad day. But he could take it. He was a Jedi after all, but oh, why did it have to hurt so much? And then he woke up. It had been a simulation. Fake. But oh, it had felt so real! Then they were untying him, letting him fall limp to the ground. Moaning he crumpled to the ground, and struggled to get his feet under him. They simply grabbed him and hauled him away.

Obi-wan felt all his chains open, and he was dropped to the floor, with a rather undignified thud. Quickly he picked himself up, and wondered why they had let him free. If you could indeed use 'free' to apply to a situation where one was being held hostage by a preteen girl, and stuck in a cell with no connection to the Force whatsoever. Then the door opened, and the guards threw something into his cell. Anakin. Limp, sobbing, and broken. Obi-wan ran to his padawan, and gathered him up into his arms. "Anakin? Anakin, are you alright?" Fear was so obviously in his voice, and he hated it. But what had happened to Anakin? The boy didn't look hurt. But something had obviously happened. What was it? What could reduce his proud, brave, confident padawan to this?

Anakin tried to speak, only to go limp, gasping for breath.

"Anakin, it's alright. You don't have to talk yet. Stay still."

Anakin, staying true to character, ignored him, and managed to gasp out, "They want- me to-tell-them where..." He couldn't finish, and nearly hyperventilated trying to breathe. Obi-wan tried to get him to inhale the life bringing air, oh if there was ever a time he needed the Force... Anakin finally calmed somewhat, and finished.. "Holocron- of Gall-anare."

"Their trying to find the Holocron of Gallanare? The Force Adapter of Ran? If she gets her hands on that..." It would be catastrophic. Nothing short of a catastrophe. But that wasn't important now. Gently Obi-wan pulled Anakin into an upright position, and ran his fingers through his hair. What had happened? What. He couldn't ask now, Anakin was to tired to talk. He was truly exhausted, as the pain and adrenaline were wearing off. He tried to stay awake all night, guarding Anakin, because if he slept they might torture him more, take him away and hurt him, but eventually he lost the battle to sleep, and consciousness slipped away, leaving him curled up against his padawan, each resting against the other, steeling themselves for what was to come.

Obi-wan awoke to the guards coming in and taking Anakin by the shoulders. No. No, they couldn't. Anakin stirred, and gasped in surprise and fear as he saw their broad bodied captors, felt the hands that had hurt him so much. Obi-wan then felt strong hands grab him and throw him to the ground. He looked up to see them dragging Anakin away, the boys whimpers growing fainter as they went.

Anakin let himself be dragged into the illusion room again, and felt a small cry build in his throat. No. No, he wouldn't show weakness like that. He wouldn't. He watched them take a knife from a bin. The knife looked sharp. He gulped. This wouldn't be easy. And then the guard they called Kargath was twisting the knife through his skin and muscle, sliding it through his chest. Anakin wanted to scream, but all those years as a slave paid off, and he managed silence.

Until they plunged the knife once again into his shoulder. He screamed then, and didn't care who heard. Screamed as they ran the knife down his arm, peeling of flesh and muscle, and oh Force it hurt, it hurt. He sobbed, why wasn't Obi-wan there, he was supposed to be there, he promised that he would always take care of him, he promised, but Anakin was alone, and all he could do was cry. They eventually moved off of the knife and started whipping him again. This time though, it was far worse. They kept it up until there was almost no skin on his back, and he could barely feel the whip, so many nerves were destroyed.

Vaguely he felt them retie him to the table, and hold him securely. Right, because he was such a threat. Then they shoved an electro jabber into his chest and his world dissolved into an unending scream of pain. Finally they let him back to Obi-wan. He sobbed in relief, and melted into Obi-wan's arms, burying his face in his Master's chest. Gasping, he let his Master reassure him, hold him tight against everything and everyone that was trying to hurt him. All his thoughts about Obi-wan not caring disappeared, and he was left with Obi-wan holding his padawan, pouring out his love for him, and even if his master didn't understand, at least it seemed he cared. Meanwhile someone was watching the scene between Master and Apprentice.

The girl smiled, as she watched Anakin pressing his broken body into his Master's arms. The plan was progressing so nicely, she thought, watching Anakin sob into his Master's chest. Things seemed to be going exactly as planned, and she did so like it when things were predictable. Soon she would have to begin using different methods on Skywalker, but that was anticipated. She turned to her main gard, Rohi. "Things are coming along so nicely, don't you think?" Her 2ed in command wrinkled his forehead in confusion, and voiced his concerns.

"Sir, I do not believe that this is working as well as you think. I have doubts. They are very buddy buddy, yah? Maybe we separate them, yah?"

"There will be no separation. Things are going on here that you cannot begin to imagine. I will play my hand correctly, and I will do things my way, is that understood?"

"Yah. But I do not see how this will work."

"It will, Rohi. It will."

Anakin was taken away several more times. Upon each return Obi-wan would hold him, rock him in his arms, try desperately to sooth the boy's pain, while on the inside his heart was shattering at his own helplessness. He was the Master, he should be able to protect Anakin, that was his job. Anakin was supposed to be able to trust that Obi-wan would take care of everything, and that it would be alright. Obi-wan would wallow in his own helplessness, and curse himself for not being able to help his padawan. And then one day, they came for him.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Obi-wan was lead into a large room with few furnishings. He was forced over to a particularly mean looking guard and shoved to his knees. Someone grabbed his hair, forcing him to look up, and he winced in pain. The guard leaned down, took a needle, and injected Obi-wan with something that seemed to set his blood on fire. "That's just a taste of what you'll get if you want get too rowdy." He sneered, as the world swam before Obi-wan's eyes, just before everything went black. Obi-wan awoke to two very disgruntled guards in the middle of an argument.

"I'm 'tellin you, we ain't got no other options! He ain't about to cooperate, and he's 'just a waste 'of space 'and supplies. There ain't no point to a 'keepen 'im around."

"Ah, but Marv, there is always a chance. As a great philosopher once said: "If you cease to try, you pave the path of defeat and humiliation, those who persevere, they are the great ones, the conquerors." We cannot accept defeat at the hands of a mere child, a youth! If we continue, I am confidant that..."

"Awww, I'm 'telling you, it ain't gonna do no good. He's as tough as a rancors hide. Sure, he'll holler, but he ain't gonna break. 'Sides, we got orders."

"Those who blindly follow blindly, blindly they will die, for there is none better than a disconcerting man, one who follows his own judgment, having come to the realization that there is no replacement for one who has met the situation head on, and has experienced it first hand." Yet your point has been seen. We will have to terminate the boy."

Obi-wan choked back a scream. Were they planning to kill Anakin? They couldn't do that! He struggled to rise to his feet, only to fall to the ground, helpless. The guards turned, and laughed. The seemingly educated one pulled out a comlink. "This is Havier. Your orders are to bring me Skywalker. I will deal with him personally." Marve came over and kicked Obi-wan in the stomach. "Ya thought you were some 'kinda hero, didn't yah? Now ya can't even save your own boy. Search a lo-ong way to fall."

Obi-wan moaned and tried to pull himself over. Failed. He could only watch as 2 guards came in dragging Anakin behind them. The boy was held up before Havier, and Obi-wan felt his heart stop. "No," he whispered. "No please, I'll do anything."

Havier looked at him. "You would inform us of the whereabouts of the Holocron of Gallanar?"

Obi-wan dropped his head in defeat. "I-I can't. Please." It was a horus whisper, barely a sound, but Havier heard.

"Ah, well, you know what they say, nothing good lasts forever." He shot Anakin in the stomach.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Obi-wan heard the scream, didn't realize it was his own. Anakin crumpled to the ground, released by the guards. Obi-wan managed to scramble to his feet, only to collapse by Anakin's side. Sobbing, he gathered his padawan into his arms, rocking him gently. No it couldn't end like this, it couldn't. "A-Anakin?" He choked out. This couldn't be happening, no... "Anakin hang on please, I-I can't lose you too."

Anakin's trembling fingers brushed his cheek. "Master? It-it's going to be O.K.."

Obi-wan clutched Anakin tighter. "No..."

Anakin's unfocused eyes managed to settle on Obi-wan's tear stained face. "I-I love..." Anakin died in his Master's arms. Obi-wan screamed to the uncaring heavens. Anakin was dead. The boy he had loved more than anything else in the world was gone. His son. The one who had saved him when Qui-Gon had died, and taught him to love. Love. He'd loved Anakin so much and he hadn't told him. Why hadn't he told him? Would it have hurt the boy so much? Anakin had known, hadn't he? He had to have known.

Obi-wan cradled the lifeless body of his padawan close to his chest and held him like he would never let go. He felt his heart shatter into a million peices. Felt the terrible emptiness of a severed bond. Felt as if he would never be able to move again. Felt all these things, and yet he felt nothing at all, a terrible void, and emptiness was rising inside him, consuming him. What was life without Anakin? Oh, if only he could be given a second chance. A way to make things right. He'd failed the boy so badly, it was all he seemed to be able to do, fail. Fail Qui-Gon, fail Tahl, and finally, Anakin. Anakin who had meant more to him than anyone else ever had, more even than Qui-Gon. And then hands were pulling at Anakin's body, trying to take him away. NO! He wouldn't let them! They couldn't have Anakin's body to, it was all he had left.

But they were overpowering him, ripping Anakin away. He heard Havier say something about an incinerator. No. They left then, leaving Obi-wan sobbing on the floor, broken, and empty. Then, finally they were dragging him away and back to his cell. His all to empty cell. He would never see Anakin again, never hear his laugh, never see his smile. His smile. That cocky, cocky grin that had always aggravated him to no end. He'd give anything to see it now. And then they were hurling him into the cell, into Anakin's waiting arms...

Wait. Anakin's arms? Anakin was dead. Oh Force. This must be some cruel trick, some way of torturing him further, making him hope, only to have his heart break again. If that happened, he would break. Shatter. He tried to push Anakin, or whatever what was impersonating him, away. It wasn't hard. Anakin was just like he remembered him, battered, bloody, and broken, so horribly that is was nothing short of a miracle that he had managed to get to Obi-wan at all.

"Master? W-what did they do to you? Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

He was just like Anakin. So worried about others... No. He wouldn't think like that. "Go away." He managed. "You're dead. I saw you die!" Anakin looked hurt and surprised.

"Master? No, I'm not dead, I promise. I'm fine. Is-is that what they did to you? Made you think I died? Oh Force, I'm sorry Master, I'm sorry..."

Obi-wan looked away in confusion and turmoil. Not dead? What had happened? Or was this an illusion? Or maybe, maybe Anakin's 'death' had been the illusion. It was to much to hope for, too good to be true, but maybe it was. He thought back to when the guards had taken him away. They had injected him with something, something that had knocked him unconscious. Hope tentatively began to bloom. Then, when he had been awake, he had either been dizzy and unfocused or in so much turmoil from what he believed to be happening to Anakin that he hadn't really been paying attention to his surroundings. And he knew. He knew what they had done. They had made him truly believe that the thing that was closest to him, the boy he loved more than life itself, was dead. But he wasn't. He was alive. He rushed over to Anakin and enveloped him in a hug, crushing him, burying his face in the boy's hair. He remembered wishing he had told Anakin that he'd loved him. Should he do that now, while he had the chance? No. It was not the Jedi way. His emotions had been clouded, and he'd been consumed with grief. If he told Anakin such things, then it could disrupt his already unstable emotional balance. He did not need someone to encourage his attachment. So he relaxed in Anakin's arms, simply relishing in the fact that he was alive and safe. But the next day, they came again.

Obi-wan tried not to show fear. Tried not to give them the satisfaction of knowing that he was terrified. He was led to the same place as before, only now the girl was there, along with that same guard that had been with her in her throne room? He still wasn't sure what that place was. The girl smiled, and looked up at him. "Obi-wan." her voice was a cool and superior as ever. "Did you have a good night's sleep?" Obi-wan gritted his teeth. The truth was, he'd stayed awake all night, just watching Anakin, terrified of losing him, even for an instant. He simply stared at the girl, trying to convey his anger and malice to her wordlessly. She smiled. "Now isn't that quite un-jedi-like. Isn't anger the way to the darkside?" Obi-wan felt the guards strap him to a table. A large needle was lying to the side. Obi-wan broke his self imposed vow of silence.

"That's a rather larger dose than last time, don't you think?"

"Yes, but you shall also be staying under rather longer than last time."

The guard at her side spoke up. "You will be living many times, yah? All the better, I think? More variety. We will be expanding your horizons very much. It will be fun. Nighty - night!' Obi-wan fell asleep with a sense of foreboding and horror. It was not, it turned out, unfounded. It was much, much worse this time. They didn't just kill Anakin once, and make him live through that. They killed him again and again, time after time, in new creative ways.

Anakin was running forward, they were escaping the girl's clutches, and a blaster bolt struck him in the back, and the boy crumpled backwards, Anakin, gasping from his wounds, trying to draw in air, finally going limp, Anakin, screaming, the roof was collapsing, Obi-wan was scared, he had to get Anakin out, when a piece of debris impaled the boy, Anakin, Anakin, Anakin, time after time, it was too much, far too much. He finally woke up, gasping for air, his brain trying desperately to process what had just happened. Each session had been at least an hour, and there had been so many of them. He could feel the tears running down his face. It had seemed so real. Every time, he had been put in a different situation, his very memories altered to fit. He sobbed; Anakin. He needed Anakin. Needed to know that he was alive, safe. But then he felt the girl's hand carding through his hair.

"Had enough?' She murmured. "We can do it again, if you like."

"N-no. Please... no."

"Would you feel up to telling me where that Holocron is?"

"I-I can't..."

"Ah, well then. I'm sorry but we'll have to go again."

"Please, don't, no." Obi-wan was begging, pleading. He couldn't go through it again, he'd break, oh please no...

"Sorry. But, at the risk of sounding like a typical cliche filled villain, you leave me no choice." She pressed the syringe to his skin, sister to the needles that were feeding him intravenously. Obi-wan screamed in pain and fear as reality faded and for the next 3 days he was forced into that horrible alternate reality, Anakin dying again and again, until he had no strength left with which to fight.

Gasping, he emerged from her cruel torture, pain ripping through every fiber of his being. He felt so empty, so very used. They dragged him back to his cell, he was glad to go. He needed to see Anakin, needed to know that all he had seen was an illusion. He had lost his son, his brother so many time over the past several days, agony without respite. He would never take Anakin for granted ever again, he vowed. And then Anakin was holding him, and he was sobbing into the boy's chest, holding him like he might disappear if he let go even for an instant. He was terrified that he would lose him, who was to say he wasn't still in the drugs grip? But he could hear Anakin soothing him, running his hands over his body, calming him. Anakin's gentle reassurance began to resonate, to break through the overpowering shroud of pain and fear. "I love you." He choked out, he had to say the words, the words he had lost the chance to say so many times. "I love you so much, I love you, I love you Anakin, I love you." Anakin made a small sound in surprise, then held Obi-wan all the tighter.

"I love you to." Obi-wan reflected that that had needed to be said, that it certainly couldn't hurt, not now. He had needed to say it, would have died if Anakin had really been killed without hearing the words. He went to sleep finally, wrapped around Anakin, each cradling the other in his arms.

Finally. Finally they were really getting somewhere. Those two were bonding, and it was time to move off of this level of development. She wondered what to do next, and who to do it on. Anakin. It was, after all, him who needed the most work, him who was the focus of all of this. Yes, Anakin was the lucky winner, and as there was no such thing as luck, that meant that the only luck he had was nonexistent, and that would be made painfully obvious, painfully obviously indeed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Anakin was led their 'hosts' throne room, said girl standing with her back to the door, gazing out the window. "Anakin Skywalker. How good of you to join me. I was just thinking of you, really."

"How kind of you." Anakin panted, desperately fighting to remain upright. "But your time would be better spent composing your defence for when we drag you to the courts. You will pay for this, you have my word on that." Anakin spat out.

"Don't make promises you can't keep. And honestly, who do you have to rely on here? Your master? He's pathetic..."

"He is not!" Anakin forced out. "He's a great Jedi, the very best, how can you even think that..."

"And yet he is not. Would you like to see his real self? The true Obi-wan Kenobi? Because he is not who you think he is Anakin. The reality is, he is quite flawed. Come, look." The girl produced a holoprojector from her desk, and beckoned for Anakin to come closer. "And don't bother attacking, I do have a force field surrounding me, very thin and close to myself in the name of convenience, but you will not be able to break it, you have my word on that. Now come."

Warily Anakin approached, cautious of the impeccably calm child holding him captive. "Whatever you're trying, it won't work. Nothing you do can shake my faith in my master. I can promise you that."

"You are naive to think that your faith in anything is unshakable. It will be your undoing. Now look. I found these clips from several security cams, and liberated them from their previous owners. If you wish to see Obi-wan's true self, then you must see him as a child, unshielded, vulnerable." Anakin wanted to draw away, not to see what was offered, but the offer was to much to resist. The holo transmitter flickered, and Obi-wan was projected above. But not as Anakin knew him. No, this Obi-wan was about 12 years old. And he was curled up in bed sobbing as if his heart was broken. "This is Obi-wan crying because he was bullied by some 12 year olds. Not even physically. They just said a bunch of mean things, and managed to break his heart. The screen changed again, this time to show Obi-wan, dirty and bleeding, looking so broken it broke Anakin's heart. "What's happening?" He questioned, against his better judgment.

"Young Obi-wan here has not had a master select him. He was sent to Bandomeer, I'm sure you know of it, it's where reject Jedi go, the ones who are not chosen. Well, he was kidnapped, and, interestingly enough, enslaved by these nasty people. Shocking, I know. Ah, here he is, heart shattered in rejection, battered and bruised. It's sad, really, how far people can fall.

The image switched to young Obi-wan and Qui-gon Jinn actually with lightsabers drawn at each other, and froze. "This is Obi-wan wanting to stay and help the people of Melida-Daan and Qui-gon wanting to leave and get Tahl to safety, and neither of them wanting to back down." The screen changed to Obi-wan, handing Qui-gon his lightsaber. "This is Obi-wan leaving the Jedi to stay on Melida-Daan to become a politician, with a bunch of kids he's known less than a week." Anakin felt as he he was going into shock. This was not the Obi-wan he knew. This was an insecure, scared, boy, confused and lost, not knowing what he was meant to be, or how to do it. This was, in so many ways, him. And he never knew. The projector revealed Obi-wan again, only this time, the age Anakin knew, in fact, the age he was now, in this horrible girls clutches. And he was screaming. Screaming Anakin's name.

"This is Obi-wan when I gave him my little drug. He was so scared, so terrified. I think at one point, suicided crossed his mind. It was pathetic, really. Perrier!" A skinny black clad gard came forward. "Take him back to his cell." Perrier nodded and escorted Anakin away, Obi-wan's screams still filling the room.

The guards tossed Anakin and Obi-wan's waiting arms, and Anakin gasped slightly as his master's fingers found a open wound on accident. Obi-wan murmured an apology, and gently settled Anakin on the ground. Anakin looked up at his master as if seeing him for the first time, which in a way he was, and slowly pulled himself up against a wall. Obi-wan crouched down beside him, and sighed. "What did she do, Anakin?"

Anakin sighed. "She, um, showed me a bunch of pictures of you. Mostly of when you were littler."

Obi-wan groaned. "Littler meaning, 12 or 13?"

Anakin nodded.

"Well. Questions?"

"Yah. I mean, did you really leave the Jedi?"

Obi-wan winced. "Yes. Yes I did. And it was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I did learn my place from that experience, though.'

"Why didn't you tell me?" Anakin whimpered. "Why? It could have helped me, and you just kept it to yourself. All those times I thought you didn't, couldn't understand, you did, and you didn't tell me! How could you do that? I thought- I thought..." Anakin's voice trailed off, a single tear fell down his cheek, shattering Obi-wan's heart. He had hurt Anakin. Had hurt the boy he now knew to be his son and brother, had driven him to tears. What type of horrible twisted creature did that?

"Anakin," he managed, his voice breaking. "I didn't mean to hurt you, I just... I didn't know what to do!" Tears were now running down his face as well. "I was scared, confused, Qui-gon was gone, I didn't know how to care for you, I... I thought if I was just the perfect Jedi, if I could try to raise you to be a perfect, or normal Jedi, then, then maybe I could do that. Could train you right. I couldn't. I was trying to force us both into molds that didn't fit. I-I'm sorry. I won't do it again, I promise, please don't, please don't..."

"Don't what?" Anakin whispered.

"Leave." It was a quiet pleading whisper, barely audible, but Anakin heard.

"What makes you think I would do that?" Anakin whispered, heart inwardly breaking at his Master's plea.

"I-in one of the simulations. Y-you realized just how worthless I was. How much of a fake. You left. A-and I was begging, pleading with you not to leave, but you did, and-and it tore me apart, and I yelled at you, I tried to hurt you... Said such awful things... And when you died, the-the last thing I told you was that you were nothing but a burden to me, and I hated you, but it wasn't true, I promise, I promise, just please don't, please don't..." Obi-wan disintegrated into sobs, and Anakin held him gently, and pressed his master's face into his chest. "It-it's one of my greatest fears. That you'll find out how worthless I am, and realize that you deserve so much better..."

"No! Don't say that Master. You're not worthless, I promise. I love you. And I'll never leave. You'll always be my Master, and I'll never leave you, I promise. I promise. I love you." Anakin pulled Obi-wan closer, and buried his face in his master's hair. Obi-wan pressed himself into Anakin's chest, and simply relished in the fact that Anakin was alive, here, and Obi-wan was never never going to let him go.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

The girl kept trying to break them, Anakin physically, Obi-wan mentally. But she was failing. If anything she was only driving the 2 closer than before. Obi-wan didn't want Anakin to get any other surprises from his childhood, and he now trusted Anakin implicitly with anything. So Anakin was told of Xantos, of Melida-Daan, of all the times in his life where he had felt worthless, used. And his bond with Anakin grew to be all but unshatterable. But it wasn't quite invincible. And his newfound self proclaimed love for the boy made each simulation all the more heartbreaking. His greatest salvation becoming his demise. Anakin's torture grew worse and worse, his body simply growing to weak to resist the cruel attacks. And the girl had taken to sending Obi-wan with Anakin to watch the boys torture, and vice versa. It was a so much worse, and they had to escape. And they would, Obi-wan was sure of that. Their captor had grown to confident, and the Jedi Knight was sure that was their opening. So he rehearsed the plan with Anakin. If they could break away from their ever more lenient guards, then all they had to do was make sure they did so in front of the docking bay, as the girl received supplies. It was decided that they would attempt to except the first chance they got. With Anakin's ever weakening condition, it was simply too dangerous to wait. Finally, the chance arrived.

Obi-wan and his padawan were being led down the corridor in front of the hanger bay, when they saw a docking ship. This was it. There were only 5 gards, convinced that the 2 prisoners were of no danger. They were wrong. Obi-wan grabbed his guard and slammed him into another. The 2 guards tumbled over the guardrail and fell to the floor probably sustaining several broken bones. The other 3 began to turn, 1 only to be met with a certain Jedi padawan's fist, slamming him into unconsciousness. The other 2 began to reach for their comms, but Obi-wan threw a crate at one, while Anakin tripped the other, kneeing him in the stomach, and stunning him momentarily. Obi-wan made short work of the last one with a quick pressure point, and the duo made their way to the now landed ship. Thankfully for them, the ship was only transporting medical supplies and food, and so only had a single pilot and R4 unit. Obi-wan observed the R4's make, and the way it landed the craft, then made a mental note to get one of his own at some point. The 2 Jedi forced their way into the ship, and lifted off before anyone could stop them. The hanger bay was surprisingly unguarded. As they made their way into hyperspace, Obi-wan piloting the craft, Anakin came up behind him with a set of lock picks. Obi-wan turned, the course had been set and no longer needed his piloting; and faced Anakin. "Well. Finally free." He was going to say more, but Anakin interrupted.

"Don't you think it was a bit too perfect, Master. It's almost like she wanted us to escape."

"Exactly. Torture us for Force knows how long, and then set us free, without the information she was looking for. No, it was the will of the Force that we escaped Anakin, make no mistake. Besides, there aren't any more wonderful coincidences, are there, and there would be if she was on our side."

"The ship that we got was unguarded, filled with food, water, and medical supplies, and it just 'happened' to have a set of lockpicks for our collars."

"That is a favorable coincidence. But a coincidence nothing less. Though I think we should get these off, then meditate on all that has happened. There are several lessons to be learned here. Anakin nodded, and went out.


	5. Chapter 5

**Last chapter! Please review! This is one of my earliest fanfics, so it may not be to good; don't judge. Any ideas for other stories? I'd love to hear them! I read all your reviews, so please take 5 seconds of your day to post. Thank you!**

 **Chapter 4**

Obi-wan turned to see Anakin running toward him. They had both been plagued by healers since they got back, especially Anakin, and the boy had taken the first opportunity to go see Palpatine. After, of course, checking to make sure his Master didn't need him. Obi-wan had assured the boy that they had just spent months living together, and could probably use some time apart. The old Anakin may have taken this as a sign of rejection, thankfully though, their time in the nameless girls clutches had changed them both. Anakin had happily waltzed off, and quite honestly, Obi-wan had expected him to return in a far better mood. "Anakin, what's wrong?"

Anakin was pacing, wringing his hands. "I was seeing Palpatine, and he said things, about you, I thought he might not mean them, and that this might just be now, since I got captured, but then I realized he's always been like, that, and he said things about you, and they, they, I just don't know how I didn't see it before. Master, I-I don't like him anymore, there's, there's something wrong with him, master. He makes me feel bad, I-I don't know how I didn't see it before..."

"It's O.K. Ani." Obi-wan soothed, head reeling. He was glad of this, in a way, he had never trusted Palpatine, but for Anakin to say that the man was making him feel 'bad'. Well. He hadn't seen that coming. Well, perhaps he could make his brother feel better. "Anakin, I'm sorry. I never trusted Palpatine, but I know you did. I'm sorry." He put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "But I have good news. The council has granted me permission to free your mother! We can take her to Naboo and…" Obi-wan never got to finish.

"Thank you master! Thank you so so so so so much! How did you do it?"

Obi-wan laughed "Well, I might have slightly blackmailed a few members of the council..."

Anakin grinned. "I'm rubbing off on you Master, there's no denying it now!"

Obi-wan shook her head. "Indeed. But I only blackmailed the ones I was friends with, and I only used little blackmails. Barely even blackmailing..."

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Unbeknownst to the two Jedi, there was someone watching them. A girl. A very familiar girl, watching very illegally gained live video feed of her former prisoners. Smiling she twirled the map to the Holocron of Gallenare in her hand, the same that she had had since she was 6 years old. Studiously she watched the interchange of the two Jedi, and then... she smiled.


End file.
